Hang in there. These 5 months rank among the worst times to get a job in software. Things will pick up in a couple of months. Make sure you're working on an interesting side project
Thanks for your thoughts here - fortunately I've been working on some relatively involved novel development for my friend's startup. Worst case I can just continue contracting and use this to gap fill my resume for a year or so.
I feel ashamed not due to the drop in my salary, but more so because I feel like I'm no longer improving my career. Feels like I'm moving backwards and its embarrassing I'm making less than I did right out of college at Amazon.
Things don't always go up and to the right. Life is not linear. If things aren't going your way professionally, you can always work on your personal life or physical body. You're only moving backwards if you stop moving.
